So having waited for what seems like forever, I’ve finally got my licence back from the DVLA.
I’ve been speaking with a company that takes on new class 2 drivers and have an assessment drive booked in for Friday.
What would this entail? Is there anything that I need to know before hand?
Bit excited to finally get driving
Sparty83:
So having waited for what seems like forever, I’ve finally got my licence back from the DVLA.I’ve been speaking with a company that takes on new class 2 drivers and have an assessment drive booked in for Friday.
What would this entail? Is there anything that I need to know before hand?
Bit excited to finally get driving
Probably about a 30 minute drive taking in various roads with perhaps a reverse of some kind at the end also perhaps followed by some Highway Code and tacho questions. Just drive in a nice relaxed way, don’t speed, remember to indicate and give your mirrors plenty of use, I’ll wear smart jeans polished work boots and a smart polo shirt and have a hi vis and gloves handy too. Good luck.
4 weeks ago I completed an assessment drive for a RDC ( regional distribution centre )
I was told very little about it before hand but just though it would be a quick affair, in and out within an hour or 2, how wrong I was, turned into all day, from 7:30am to 3:00pm.
First the guy checked my licences were all in order then took me to the class room where I completed 2 tests, one about driver hours and tachograph regulations and the other about road signs.
Then the guy spent the next few hours running me through health and safety and the companies procedures on the way it does things.
After that we broke for lunch and then returned at 12:30pm, we then spent another 1 and a half hours finishing off health and safety and company procedures.
he then took me out to the yard and wanted me to demonstrate a good and proper 15 minute defects check, after that it was out on the road for 45 minutes and back to the RDC where he asked me to complete 2 reverses onto the dock, between 2 trailers, 1 reverse in from the left, 1 reverse in from the right.
After the 6 or 7 hour mark, what ever it was, I was in no mood to be doing an assessment drive I can tell you, the class room stuff and broken me by that point and I just felt so drained.
.
Oh, not forgetting a drugs and alcohol test after checking my licences, before completing paperwork test questions.
.
Hope you got paid for that little lot 
Did you get the job ? Or any work with them afterwards ?
Well-Jell:
Oh, not forgetting a drugs and alcohol test after checking my licences, before completing paperwork test questions.
.
I’m guessing that was to go in working through an agency rather than a full time job so therefore more like an induction ?
Well-Jell, what company was that for?
By sounds of it, all that was left was the blood test on your first shift I hope you were paid for that induction training etc
Never heard of drug/drink testing unless you had been involved in an accident.
Mikey D:
Hope you got paid for that little lot
Did you get the job ? Or any work with them afterwards ?
It was through an agency, no I didn’t get paid but I did get work out of it.
I got 3 days work out of it before I jacked in.
bald bloke:
Well-Jell:
Oh, not forgetting a drugs and alcohol test after checking my licences, before completing paperwork test questions.
.I’m guessing that was to go in working through an agency rather than a full time job so therefore more like an induction ?
It was through an agency yes, but that still doesn’t mean it had to be an induction.
The agency said it was just a driving assessment and so did the RDC.
Hyh:
Well-Jell, what company was that for?By sounds of it, all that was left was the blood test on your first shift
Never heard of drug/drink testing unless you had been involved in an accident.
It was for the Co-Op, a very busy RDC indeed, apparently they have more shops in the UK than anybody else.
No, no accident, just doing things by the book, am guessing they have a very thick and chunky book.
bald bloke:
Well-Jell:
Oh, not forgetting a drugs and alcohol test after checking my licences, before completing paperwork test questions.
.I’m guessing that was to go in working through an agency rather than a full time job so therefore more like an induction ?
I hadn’t passed their driving assessment by this point, why would he need to induct someone who might not pass their assessment ?
I was told the assessment would last ‘’ an hour or 2 in total ‘’ by the agency so thought I wouldn’t mind doing that for free to get work out of it so didn’t bother asking them about been paid, had I known it was going to last 7 or 8 hours I would have said straight away ‘’ Am not doing this unless am paid ‘’.
Hyh:
Never heard of drug/drink testing unless you had been involved in an accident.
Firm I work for drink and drug test before your interview, in fact two of us arrived for an interview and the other guy got up and walked out as soon as that was announced saying that he knows he would fail the drug test so no point taking it. 
Also, intertissue breathalyse you at the gatehouse whenever you go there to take a load out. Incredibly though is the amount that fail it!
Well-Jell:
It was for the Co-Op, a very busy RDC indeed.
Yikes, when I did one with them it was about 30 mins and that included checks and driving. Covered me to drive for 6 months but this was after driving for them on and off for 6 months previous (without assessment). Kindof proved it was a paper filling exercise.
A lot seem to be arse covering just to check you can drive without being a total liability from what I hear. I’ve never had another one even for fulltime job.
Bigger the company, I would expect the assessment to involve more H&S crap. Smaller company means they ain’t got time to have a truck on the road doing nothing useful.
Best advice I can give - don’t crash.
My assessment drive for my job was a simple 20 min or so drive around the area local to their yard. I just drove how I did on my lessons and test and they were fine
Well-Jell’s assessment obviously wasn’t, it was days induction, which as he said, should have been paid and IMHO the agency knew full well what the score was here and he was conned by them not Co-op (wouldn’t be at all surprised if Coop are paying the agency and have no idea the pay isn’t forthcoming for the driver), but he knows that and hopefully will remind the agency of that when he gets a full time job and tells 'em to stick it where the sun don’t shine.
I had a full induction at an Asda site to get my green card, however it was paid, didn’t include all that classroom ■■■■■■■■ because the trainers were old school drivers and seemed to judge each applicant on their merits, they concentrated a lot on safe dropping and pick up of trailers which was useful because they had at the time (maybe still do) very handy two position fifth wheels for fridge operations, which could be operated from inside the cab, so split or on the ■■■■ coupling not needed.
After training till about lunch time they sent you out on a local run on your own, so all in all a fair system and of course you got paid fully for the 10 or 11 hour day involved, i never did an assessment drive out on the road as such, they seemed to decide on that from how you performed in the yard.
Well assessment went well, started with a quick theory test including drivers hours and tacho questions, then 30 mins of drivers hours training and filling in forms.
Then went for a grand tour of the yard and garage, very insightful.
Then came a bit of strapping training and a drive to pick some wheels up from the paint shop ready for truck fest. Scania opticruise, wasnt ready for that but got the hang of it reasonably quickly. finished off with a debrief and a thumbs up from the assessor.
Now just need to ring the boss on Tuesday and sell myself. Overall very impressed with how thorough it was and not just given the keys and told to crack on.
Fingers crossed I should have my first job very soon with the added benefit of C+E training after probation period
Nice work mate.
I failed a DHL assessment after passing my Class 2 and then not driving a wagon for two months (was driving range rovers via an agency at the time).
The drive was only 10-15 mins and although I felt rusty the examiner said I drove well and would’ve definitely passed me. However, when we came to do the bay reverse, I shunted forwards and then stopped for a second with foot on brake while I looked for reverse gear (it was on the wheel as opposed to by the handbrake like I was used to). I was instantly failed for not using the handbrake while stationary, even though just for two seconds, so worth bearing this in mind.
He told me to come back in six months, but now I know what the KFC contract is meant to be like I’d be clucking mad to go back! 
I also saw the examiner’s book open on the table and it had a list of names with a tick/cross showing whether they’d passed or failed the theory questions - over half appeared to have failed on the two pages I saw (lots of European/jam roll names though, so possibly language barrier may have been a factor as some of the questions were a bit misleading - e.g. ‘minimum rest period’ not factoring in reduced rest so would fail the multiple choice by selecting 9 hours).
Well I’ve been offered the job, must have done something right.
3 month probation period and then they’ll put me through my class 1 with a view to tramping. Company seems great and look after their drivers, couldn’t ask for a better place for my first job. They don’t usually take on new passes either.
Start Monday, cant wait
Well done on getting the start. Have heard a few reports of newbies getting starts with employers who don’t normally take newbies so maybe (?) things are looking up!
All the best with it, Pete